Page 14 of Tandem

“Okay, your cars are super cool! Why are they built like this?” I kept looking at the details, they just got crazier and crazier. They had outrageously long front bumpers, different-colored head and taillights, and the heart exhaust car had so many other heart-shaped details! The insides of the taillights, the steering wheel, the pattern printed on the fabric seats—I hadn’t seen anything like this.

“They are Bosozoku,” the first guy said to me. He leaned against his car, his body relaxed, and smirked at me.

“I’ve never heard of it. You have got to tell me more about them!” I exclaimed excitedly. Freddie and Tyler exchanged knowing looks, and for the next thirty minutes, I stood there, letting them show me all of the details of their builds and explaining the different elements in detail. It was such a cool culture to learn about—it was like the lowriders of Japan.

We got back to the front of their cars, and I shook their hands. They were actually really chill guys. Their tactical streetwear clothes showed a great sense of style, and even someone like me, who wasn’t into fashion as much as most girls, could tell that.

“Thanks again. I’ll see you guys around!” I waved as I walked back over to where Hank, Freddie, and Tyler were standing around, talking to Jayden and the girl with him.

I slowed down and looked at her again. She was pretty. She had this little side smile, and when she looked over at Jayden, her eyes softened with a look of tenderness. She was taller than him, and it wasn’t just because of the small platform boots she wore, she was tall—at least 6 feet.

But just as I was almost there, they kissed one more time, and she slipped out of his arms to walk over to a motorcycle parked on the side of the street. Then, she drove off, merging into the afternoon traffic.

“Soo… Jayden, who’s the new girl?” I asked him. I knew this wasn’t the same girl he had in his room that night a while back. This one had lighter brown hair. He just shrugged his shoulders, trying to brush me off.

“No one you need to know. Anyway, how’s my sister doing? Still being spoiled by everyone?” he replied sarcastically. So I hit a nerve, whoops. Not. I rolled my eyes.

“No, and you and everyone really can all stop with the extra nice stuff. I’m fine.” I peered around at all of my friends, who gave one another skeptical looks. “No, seriously, guys, I mean it. And to prove it, how about we do some racing. Tomorrow is Saturday. We can meet in the morning and race the curves between the gas station toward the bottom of the hills and Mom and Dad’s vacation house up the coast in the hills there.” I sucked in another breath before continuing, a knowing smile hitting my lips. “Stevie wouldn’t want us to be scared to race anymore. Or to not give it our all because of him. So we need to make sure we race for him.”

They all glanced at each other, and then smiles started growing on their faces, even normally quiet Freddie, who nodded in agreement. “I’ll take that as a yes! See you boys at 7 a.m., bright and early! Oh, and, guys? Prepare to loseeee.” I smiled teasingly at them and winked a big, exaggerated wink, and they all chuckled and laughed. The rest of the evening was great, we all just talked and laughed like old times. Maybe this was finally the start of everything becoming normal again.

CHAPTER 10

ROSALIE

The next morning,Jayden was sitting at the counter in the kitchen on his phone, chilling in his designer joggers, Air Force Ones, and his unzipped light gray hoodie. I walked over to the fridge and grabbed a pre-made smoothie, as Jayden peeked up from his phone. “Hey, my car’s check engine light came on so I'm going to roll with you.”

I rolled my eyes and sighed in disappointment as I shook my head at him. “Jayden, I told youweeksago you needed to bring it to the customs for an oil change and, see, this is why you need to listen to me.”

He shrugged and stood up. “Whatever, let’s go, I’m driving.”

My head snapped backward, and I turned to look at him. “Ummmm… Excuse me? Not my car.” Jayden laughed, picked up my keys, and walked out the front door. I chugged my smoothie and quickly grabbed my jacket, tugging on my shoes, and followed him out into the garage. “That’s not fair, Jayden! It’s my car! You never let me drive yours!”

He ignored me and got in my car, starting it up and pulling forward slowly. I jumped to the side so he wouldn’t run over my toes.

“You getting in or what?” he asked, lowering his chin to look at me through the top of his shades. I groaned and pulled open my passenger door, sliding in with a sigh.

Buckling up, I grumbled under my breath, “Stupid brother thinks he can just do whatever he wants…”

Jayden flicked on the radio, shouting, “What was that?” with a smirk on his stupid smug face.

“Nothing, jerk!” I yelled back at him, and he chuckled. We drove the fifteen-minute drive to the gas station where we were meeting the others.

As we pulled in, I saw Hank strolling out of the mini-mart with a donut and giant thermos mug, no doubt filled with coffee, especially since farmer John can’t go without it, the dope fiend. He nodded to us as we exited the car, and just as we were saying hi to him, Tyler and Freddie also pulled in.

“Are we doing this thing or what?” Tyler asked as Freddie topped off his tank at the pumps next to us.

“Heck yes! I’m going to kick your butts,” I stated. Then Jayden held out his finger and shook it back and forth.

“Mmm. Nuh-uh, sis, I’m driving, remember? So you mean whenIkick their asses.” I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

“That wasn’t part of the deal, Jayden! I didn’t say you could race my car.” There was no way I was going to miss racing this morning. Heck, I was the one who wanted to do this!

Jayden slid back in the driver’s seat. “It’s either you ride as a passenger princess, or stay here. Your choice.”

I quickly jumped back into the passenger seat as the others got into their cars, too.

Freddie and Hank reversed out and lined up first. After a few quick bursts of our horn, they took off. God, the sound of tires burning out was one of a kind. Just hearing it and feeling the energy as two drivers jumped off the line made my body comealive. We sat there waiting for them to make the circuit, and after seven minutes, Freddie came back ahead of Hank.

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